I had not heard about this 2023 CGI animated Warhammer 40000 movie before sitting down to watch it here in 2025. I've only seen the 2010 CGI animated movie "Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie" and was not impressed, so I harbored little expectations to this 2023 foray into the Warhammer 40K universe. But of course I opted to give it a fair chance.
Running at a mere 27 minutes, of course the storytelling was limited. The storyline was adequate, but I can't claim that I was overly impressed or entertained beyond my wildest dreams. Sure, "Iron Within" was watchable, but at the same time also a CGI animated movie where I was left with a sense of 'was that really it?'
The animation was okay, but could have used a bit more texture or detail on the characters not completely covered in armor; the human faces felt a bit lacking of spirit and soul. But I will say that my overall impression with the animation was okay.
With "Iron Within" being a CGI animated movie, then it relied on having a good voice cast ensemble. And while I wasn't familiar with a single performer, I found the voice acting to be adequate. There wasn't a whole lot of dialogue in the 27 minutes though.
I am sure that diehard fans of the Warhammer 40000 universe will enjoy this CGI animated movie way more than I did as a casual viewer. I am vaguely familiar with the factions of the Warhammer 40000 universe, and am by no means a specialist in the lore or anything.
My rating of director Jamie Janas's 2023 animated CGI movie "Iron Within" lands on a five out of ten stars.
